Department of Consumer and Design Sciences
M.S. in Consumer and Design Sciences
The M.S. in Consumer and Design Sciences offers both a Thesis and a Non-Thesis Option. The Thesis Option requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate level coursework including a research or creative scholarship-based thesis and a final Oral Examination (presentation and defense of the thesis). The Non-Thesis Option requires a minimum of 30 semester hours. Students may choose to undertake a Graduate Project that could include creative scholarship, case study, course development, or design development. The Plan of Study is highly individualized, based upon the student’s academic background, work experiences, and career goals.
Teaching and/or research assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis, based upon program needs, student qualifications, and funding availability.
The following list suggests topical areas for advanced study in Consumer and Design Sciences:
Beyond basic requirements, each student’s program is tailored to his or her own educational objectives and goals through the selection of courses and topic for the thesis or project. Although coursework is taken primarily within CADS, courses from other departments may be identified as appropriate.
New students are advised by the Graduate Program Officer for their first and perhaps second term. Coursework includes CADS requirements. Following identification of a Major Professor, elective selections are made in communication with and approved by the Major Professor and student’s Graduate Advisory Committee. CADS courses carrying graduate credit (numbered 6000-8000) include regularly scheduled courses and customizable courses that may be taken by a single or small group of students. A list of possible non-CADS supporting courses has been identified by CADS graduate faculty, but others may be suggested by a student.
CADS Requirements
for Thesis and Non-Thesis Options (4 credit hours)
Requirements for the M.S. – Thesis Option beyond CADS 7040 and 7060::
Requirements for the M.S. -- Non-thesis Option beyond CADS 7040 and 7060:
26 credit hours in CADS graduate courses; courses outside the Department may be approved for some of these hours.
Customized Program
Courses taken beyond the CADS-specific requirements should be taken to support the student’s post-graduate goals and fill in gaps in experience or knowledge identified by the student and Graduate Program Officer (GPO) (first), and ultimately by the student and Major Professor (MP).
Major Professor and Graduate Advisory Committee
Each thesis master’s student’s Graduate Advisory Committee (GAC) is composed of three or four faculty – a MP and two to three other graduate faculty. The MP succeeds the GPO as advisor and chairs the GAC. A non-thesis master’s student chooses only an MP or advisor. Any of CADS graduate faculty can be asked by a CADS master’s student to serve as her/his major professor. It is a good idea to identify more than one possible person in case your first choice is too busy or does not feel that her/his expertise links to your interests. You are strongly encouraged to schedule meetings with all faculty members with whom you may want to work so that you can describe your interests and goals, as well as their range of topical and methodological experience. Having two co-MPs is not uncommon and may be desirable for topical, methodological, or workload reasons.
Once you have decided whom you would like to have as your MP, you ask that professor if he/she is willing. When you have identified your MP, complete the Declaration of Major Professor form available here and in the CADS Office. Following this, you will begin to talk with him/her about identifying committee members. At least one member has to be CADS graduate faculty. Sometimes a student asks a professor in another department (whose course the student has taken) to be a member, but most often all members are CADS faculty. Sometimes there are reasons to have an extra member to make a committee of four including the MP. The committee must be identified prior to the student being able to complete the Plan of Study (POS). It is students’ responsibility to ask the faculty in person if they will serve on his/her committee.
Plan of Study
The plan of study is each student’s list of courses completed and to be completed to comply with Graduate School and CADS requirements. It is filled out in CADS Plan of Study Template. CADS program requirements are pre-identified within the system. Other courses and terms taken need to be added.
Content of the plan of study should be decided with the major professor. For thesis option, sometimes committee members will suggest courses, and the plan of study must be approved by all committee members. To receive committee approval, the completed plan of study template should be saved in a PDF file and then shared with the committee by the major professor for the committee to sign if they approve it. The approved plan of study should be submitted to the Graduate Program Officer for departmental records.
Once completed and filed with the Graduate Program Officer, the plan of study can be revised if needed; revisions must be approved by your committee by completing a new Plan of Study Template. The approved revised plan of study should be submitted to the Graduate Program Officer for departmental records. You are strongly encouraged to file your plan of study by the beginning of your third semester. It must be completed by one semester prior to the semester in which you graduate (https://bulletin.auburn.edu/thegraduateschool/themastersdegreeprogram/).
Dr. Wi-Suk Kwon
Graduate Program Officer
kwonwis@auburn.edu
334-844-4011
